Name: Two-Ingredient Coconut Carob Cups
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 cup melted coconut butter; 3 tablespoons carob powder (or cacao powder )

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When I was diagnosed with SIBO, dysbiosis, and a parasite earlier this year, the biggest nutritional shift I made was eliminating sugar. I had been a “healthy eater” for most of my adult life, but I also heavily relied on sweet treats. Homemade desserts, processed protein bars, dark chocolate…these foods always made a regular appearance in my diet, especially in the afternoon or after dinner. Taking sugar away felt overwhelming at first. I wasn’t just removing a food; I was breaking a habit, and honestly, an addiction.

My gut issues provided me the motivation I needed to completely remove sugar from my diet. Not only was it no longer serving me, it was adding fuel to the fire. During those first few weeks of healing my gut, I “crowded out” my regular post-dinner sweet treat with these Two-Ingredient Coconut Carob Cups. They satisfied the ritual of having something sweet; they are completely sugar-free, and yet the combination of coconut and carob provide a similar taste and mouthfeel of dark chocolate. They are creamy and rich, and better yet, caffeine-free (unlike chocolate), making it a more supportive choice before bed. Over time, enjoying these instead helped retrain my taste buds, stabilize my cravings, and support my healing. To this day, I keep a batch in my refrigerator for a sugar-free treat for the afternoon or evening when a craving hits.

Why Carob?

I have been incorporating carob powder into my healthier, homemade sweet treats for years – it tastes like a naturally sweet version of chocolate, but without the caffeine, oxalates, or histamine-triggering compounds that can come with cocoa. It’s gentle for those of us with sensitive digestion or gut imbalances, and it pairs beautifully with coconut butter. Together, they create a creamy, fudge-like treat that feels indulgent yet stabilizing.

How These Coconut Carob Cups Helped Me Break My Sugar Habit

Looking back, I truly believe having a replacement ritual was the key to breaking my sugar addiction. Instead of telling myself “no dessert,” I shifted to “a different dessert.” These little cups:

Supported my nervous system (stable energy, no crash)
Helped curb late-afternoon cravings
Gave me something to look forward to
Helped me keep my gut healing protocol sustainable
Reset my palate to appreciate natural sweetness instead of intense sugary flavors

Within just a few weeks, I noticed I no longer craved sugar the way I used to. These carob cups truly helped me get over that initial hump. Now I no longer even think about having a sweet treat after dinner (something I never thought I would say!).

Ingredient Spotlight

Coconut Butter:

High in healthy fats (satiety, hormone support)
Naturally sweet, no added sugar
Creates a rich, creamy texture
Stabilizes blood sugar

Carob Powder:

Anti-inflammatory
Sweet, chocolate-adjacent flavor
Gut-friendly
Caffeine-free

Equipment You Will Need

Silicone mini muffin mold (this is what I use. Makes perfect little cups and pops out easily)
Mini muffin tin + paper liners

Healthified Notes

These carob cups are endlessly versatile and easy to tailor to your taste buds or your healing protocol. Here are some simple ways to elevate them and incorporate them into your daily routine:

Customize the Flavor

Mix in collagen peptides for a boost of protein.
Add 1–2 tablespoons tahini (adds nutrition and great for stabilizing blood sugar).
Stir in almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or any seed/nut butter you tolerate.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavor
Sprinkle in a pinch of sea salt

Make Them Part of Your Gut-Friendly Lifestyle

Enjoy as an afternoon snack if you experience that 3PM – 4PM “slump.”
Have one after dinner as a blood-sugar friendly dessert.
Pair one with a cup of ginger or peppermint tea to support digestion.
Use them as a replacement ritual when transitioning off sugar. They give you the sweetness and the satisfaction without the inflammatory load.

FAQ: How to Melt Coconut Butter

Coconut butter can be tricky because it naturally hardens at room temperature, but melting it is simple with the right method. Here are my go-tos:

Warm Water Bath (Best Method). Place the jar of coconut butter (lid on) in a bowl of very warm water for 10–15 minutes.
Stir every few minutes until it becomes smooth and pourable.

Stovetop. Scoop the coconut butter into a small saucepan. Warm over very low heat, stirring constantly, just until melted (do not overheat as it can burn easily).

Microwave. Scoop the coconut butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 10–15 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.

A Helpful Tip: Coconut butter naturally separates. If your jar looks dry, gritty, or crumbly, simply melt it fully and stir very well to reincorporate the coconut solids and oils. This gives you the smooth, creamy texture needed for the cups.

P.S. If you have unsweetened shredded coconut and a high-speed blender, you can make your own creamy coconut butter in less than five minutes, and then make the cups from there.